Thanks Pastor Wolfmueller for your straight forward, black and white, practical exposition of Holy Scripture! You've been a blessing for both my wife and I. God be praised!!
WOW! Thanks again Pastor for "beating the literary bushes" to enrich us. Think I need to buy the book! Thought provoking, and helpful insights for meaningful conversations with the "reason" crowd!
Thanks for "Authors Pick Words" I'm starting to understand your reluctance when I shared The Bethlehem Star. I see how the natural explanations might intend to or be seen as taking away from our perception of Omnipotent Omniscient God. Knowing the stories of God's miracles since I was a child, I've imagined how God spoke and it happened. Very cool! But somehow when it was explained how from creation God spun the stars and planets to align themselves just so on the day of Jesus birth ... how it was predictable and known by the wise men, how it can be traced back now by wise men and computers... just makes it even cooler... MORE MIRACULOUS to me!
How reason saves the author. I really appreciate that sentence. It makes perfect sense that this is what happens when reason takes Genesis 1-11 captive.
A quote from a Norwegian apologist: sending our kids out in the world (ie college) with the understanding that the earth is 6000 years old is like equipping them with wooden swords and cardboard shields.
When you mentioned the "bad note" in The Lutheran Study Bible I had to pull my copy off the shelf and see for myself. I wasn't able to find a note regarding algae in Exodus 7; instead I found this excellent note on verse 17:
"Moses gives us a historical description of God miraculously changing the water of the Nile into actual blood. Moses frequently uses the [Hebrew] word for "blood" and always in a literal sense, never figuratively. Denying that the Nile turned to blood opens the door to denying Jesus changed water into wine in [John] 2:1ff."
I did, however, find similar "natural" explanations in some other study Bibles, and those notes are doing exactly what you and Hamann described.
Thank you very much for sharing your reflections on Hamann's writings - I relish the opportunity to ponder these insights!
I like the writing of the Finger of God upon my childhood psyche and soul - like an untouched Tablet before Moses, or a mass of Marble b4 MichaelAngelo- The Lord touching untouched children audibly thru the Spoken Word-even that as a father or mother reading to their Child still in the womb-
So too- before Natural reason could sully the paintings of Wonder wrought upon our young souls- these things I remember before any commentary or patristic thoughts could hammer upon them... not that they are bad... but following this analogy I write- kinda like Moe, Larry, and Curly retouching the Pieta. God’s first touch remembered- how the Awe and Beatitude wrought FAITH before- and Lingers still- reminding me of your great YouTube of Infant Baptism- so very much Loved- Greg from Los Angeles
Hamann follows Luther in that man's "Reason" can lure him / mankind away from God. I appreciate the post and short unraveling as I probably won't be reading the book. I just got 'The Absolution Anthology' and after fixing a stair-rail on our small patio deck, pruning some plants in our borders, and walking the dogs I thought I'd start reading this book. Yet, there is 'no reason' I suppose why I should skip the 'London Writings' book...Hamann nah, 🎶 nah nah, nah nah nah... 🎵...'Thank You' for the excerpt, and reminding me to check my 'human reason' and to simply be content that "God is God"...and I am Not!
Thanks Pastor Wolfmueller for your straight forward, black and white, practical exposition of Holy Scripture! You've been a blessing for both my wife and I. God be praised!!
WOW! Thanks again Pastor for "beating the literary bushes" to enrich us. Think I need to buy the book! Thought provoking, and helpful insights for meaningful conversations with the "reason" crowd!
Lois Anderson :)
Thanks for "Authors Pick Words" I'm starting to understand your reluctance when I shared The Bethlehem Star. I see how the natural explanations might intend to or be seen as taking away from our perception of Omnipotent Omniscient God. Knowing the stories of God's miracles since I was a child, I've imagined how God spoke and it happened. Very cool! But somehow when it was explained how from creation God spun the stars and planets to align themselves just so on the day of Jesus birth ... how it was predictable and known by the wise men, how it can be traced back now by wise men and computers... just makes it even cooler... MORE MIRACULOUS to me!
How reason saves the author. I really appreciate that sentence. It makes perfect sense that this is what happens when reason takes Genesis 1-11 captive.
A quote from a Norwegian apologist: sending our kids out in the world (ie college) with the understanding that the earth is 6000 years old is like equipping them with wooden swords and cardboard shields.
An example of what you are sharing.
Thank you
*sending them to war with wooden and cardboard.
Wonderful post, Pastor Wolfmueller!
When you mentioned the "bad note" in The Lutheran Study Bible I had to pull my copy off the shelf and see for myself. I wasn't able to find a note regarding algae in Exodus 7; instead I found this excellent note on verse 17:
"Moses gives us a historical description of God miraculously changing the water of the Nile into actual blood. Moses frequently uses the [Hebrew] word for "blood" and always in a literal sense, never figuratively. Denying that the Nile turned to blood opens the door to denying Jesus changed water into wine in [John] 2:1ff."
I did, however, find similar "natural" explanations in some other study Bibles, and those notes are doing exactly what you and Hamann described.
Thank you very much for sharing your reflections on Hamann's writings - I relish the opportunity to ponder these insights!
I like the writing of the Finger of God upon my childhood psyche and soul - like an untouched Tablet before Moses, or a mass of Marble b4 MichaelAngelo- The Lord touching untouched children audibly thru the Spoken Word-even that as a father or mother reading to their Child still in the womb-
So too- before Natural reason could sully the paintings of Wonder wrought upon our young souls- these things I remember before any commentary or patristic thoughts could hammer upon them... not that they are bad... but following this analogy I write- kinda like Moe, Larry, and Curly retouching the Pieta. God’s first touch remembered- how the Awe and Beatitude wrought FAITH before- and Lingers still- reminding me of your great YouTube of Infant Baptism- so very much Loved- Greg from Los Angeles
Hamann follows Luther in that man's "Reason" can lure him / mankind away from God. I appreciate the post and short unraveling as I probably won't be reading the book. I just got 'The Absolution Anthology' and after fixing a stair-rail on our small patio deck, pruning some plants in our borders, and walking the dogs I thought I'd start reading this book. Yet, there is 'no reason' I suppose why I should skip the 'London Writings' book...Hamann nah, 🎶 nah nah, nah nah nah... 🎵...'Thank You' for the excerpt, and reminding me to check my 'human reason' and to simply be content that "God is God"...and I am Not!